Symbols
by FrogQueenLaurel
Summary: They find and heal each other through their mutual need to commemorate the important things with ink. AH/OOC/LEMON Oneshot for the Tattward & Inkella One-Shot Contest My 1st contest entry!


**Tattward & Inkella One-Shot Contest**

**Title: Symbols**

**Your pen name: FrogQueen**

**Characters: Emmett/Bella**

**Disclaimer: Ms. Meyers owns the Characters. I just like to ink them up a bit.**

**To see other entries in the Tattward & Inkella Contest, please visit the C2 page:****  
**www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net/community/Tattward_and_Inkella_Contest/71624/

I need more than coffee to get through today, but it will have to do. It's going to be a long day. It's not like I haven't gotten inked before, but this one is going to be tough. It's time. I know it is.

I order two Grande coffees for me and Jasper. While I wait for our order, I turn to look out onto the busy street. Downtown is always busy even on the weekends. Watching the pedestrians walk by the window, the movement of a petite woman catches my attention. As she stands up and gathers her belongings, I scan her body starting with her dark blue jeans, up to her white t-shirt and her dark hair piled up on top of her head with a big clip. My eyes settle on the colorful stars randomly adorning her neck. I love delicate tattoos on women. Nothing too obvious or tacky. Leave the sleeves to men.

She turns around to reveal the most beautiful face I've ever seen. Deep soulful brown eyes and full lips created just for kissing. Even without make-up her beauty speaks to me. I have to talk to her. She looks in my direction, but is looking past me. "Bye Tony. I'll see you later." She waves at the barista.

"Okay sweetie. Later!" is his response.

I start to follow her to the door so I can at least introduce myself when I feel a tug on my shirt. "Hey, are you Emmett McCarty?"

I look down to see two young boys looking up at him. "Yeah buddy I am. Pleased to meet you guys. What are your names?" I look back toward the door but she's already gone. Damn.

"My name is Brandon and this is Kyle. Can we have your autograph?" he asks nervously.

"Of course." I always try to be gracious with fans. Especially kids. I take the pen and paper he offers me and sign my name and jersey number and hand it back to him. "So, do you guys play ball?"

"Oh yeah, we play pee wee right now but one day I am going to play for the Titans like you. I am a quarterback too!" Brandon seems so excited to be sharing with me.

"Well I'm glad that by the time you make it to the big time, I'll be retired so you won't be stealing my spot. But I will be sure to come to some of your games. What about you guy?" I ask Kyle.

"I'm a receiver." Kyle says shyly.

Tony hands me my coffees. "Well guys I have an appointment. Just keep playing, listen to your coaches and keep your head in your books. Okay?"

"Yes sir we will!" They both respond.

I leave the confines of the coffee shop and head down the block to Jasper's shop, Confederate Tattoos. I take a deep breath before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

"Hey there Emmett. How ya doing this morning? You ready for this?" Jasper greets me. A little too enthusiastically for my current stress level.

"As ready as I'm going to be I guess. Here, I got you a java juice." I greet him handing him his cup.

"Thanks pal! I really need this. So, did you come up with your design?"

I take in a deep breath and pull a folded piece of paper out of the pocket of my jeans and hand it to my best friend. He's the only one I would trust to take this journey with me. He unfolds the paper and studies it carefully. "Did you come up with this yourself?" he asks me.

"Of course. I never even discussed the idea of this idea with anyone but you. Why? What's wrong?"

"Nothing it's just that I have done a design very similar to this before. About a year ago for a young lady. I can't remember her name, or who the tatt was for, but it was eerily similar to this one."

"That is weird, because I created this one all by myself. I didn't even get images from the internet." He nodded at me. I take another deep breath. "Let's get this started. I'm about to lose it here."

"Are you sure you're ready for this? You don't have to do this now you know."

"I have to do it now so it will be healed by the time spring training starts. Besides, I know I'm ready. It's time." I straddle the seat and lean in so my chest is resting against the back of the chair.

After several hours and many cramps in my back later, Jasper announces he is finished. I stand up and stretch as much as my tender skin will allow. He asks if I want to see it before he covers it up. I nervously nod my head yes and he hands me a large hand mirror. I walk over and turn my back toward the wall mirror. I hesitate for a moment. I know this is going to affect me in a profound way. This has been six months in the making. It has taken me that long to get over my grief enough to do the right thing. This is for HER. To show HER how much I love HER. That just because I can't touch her, I know she is still with me. I take in a sharp, deep breath and bring my arm up and look through the hand mirror over my shoulder to see my back reflecting in back at me. Of course the image is backwards, but it is still exactly what I wanted. A perfect memorial to the woman who loved me beyond words.

In between my shoulder blades is a burgundy heart. Nestled inside the heart is a folded bright pink ribbon with angel wings attached to it. At the base of the heart, two matching pink banner ribbons flow on either side of it one with the word 'Always' and 'Remembered' in the other. Above the heart in elegant script is her first name 'Margaret' below her last name 'McCarty'.

Jasper perfectly recreated my symbol of love for my mother.

**********

There she is again. Finally. I have been hitting this coffee shop off and on for a few weeks hoping to see her and she just walked in. She walks up to the counter and orders a coffee and bagel.

"Hello, I hope you don't think I'm a weirdo stalker or anything, but I'd like to introduce myself. I'm Emmett McCarthy." I give myself a mental smack on the forehead. _**'Real smooth, sport. She's got to think your psycho.'**_

"Hello Emmett. I'm Bella Swan. Pleasure to meet you." She says as she offers her hand.

I gently take her hand start to shake it, but instead make the last minute decision to kiss the back of it. I swear I felt a tiny shock and my lips are tingling. "Bella, the pleasure is all mine I assure you."

She smiles brightly, "Well, chivalry isn't dead after all."

"No Ma'am it isn't when I'm around." I wink at her. WOW. This is way past even my smooth level. Tony walks up with her order. She starts digging in her pocket. "Please allow me" as I hand him some cash and wave him off indicating for him to keep the change. "I have a table over here, would you like to join me. That is if you don't have any other plans."

"That is the best offer I have had in ages. I would love to join you Emmett."

I grab her order and lead her over to my small table. We sit having small talk for a little while, general topics like the weather. Then she asks me…

"So Mr. Football Star, what made you come introduce yourself to me?" She has a playful grin on her face.

"Ahhh you DO know who I am. I'm glad that's out of the way." She giggles. Her giggle is so cute. Not silly and fake like a lot of the women who try and talk to me. "As for why I came to talk to you, I actually noticed you a few weeks ago in here, but before I could bring myself to go over and talk to you that day, you left. So when I saw you today, I decided to man up and talk to you."

"I noticed you that day too, but I didn't want to look like a crazed fan so I didn't say anything to you either." She says quietly as she looks down at her lap.

Before I can even register in my own mind what I am doing, I reach over and bring her head up with my finger under her chin. "Bella, please don't be shy around me. There is no need."

"I'm not usually, but…"

"But what?"

"If I say this, tell me you're not going to go running out the door."

"I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Scouts honor." I cross my heart and hold up two fingers.

"Now I'm afraid I'm going to sound like a stalker, but I could swear I feel something here."

"Bella, I know you're not a stalker, and I KNOW I feel something here." I reach out for her hand. She puts her tiny hand in my oversized athlete's hand. Even though my hand swamps hers, it still feels like they are a perfect fit. "Would you like to go somewhere else so we can be more comfortable while we talk?"

"I would like that. I can grade papers tomorrow."

"Papers? You're a teacher?"

"Yes I am. High School English Literature. And what do you do? Oh that's right, you throw a ball." She teases.

"Yes I throw a ball, and I'm very good at it!"

"Tell me that again in January, when you make the Superbowl ok?" There's that beautiful smile.

"I'll give you the game ball when I do." I wink at her again. "Not to be ungentlemanly, but I have a condo not too far from here. We can go there."

"That sounds fine with me. What makes you think you can trust me alone with you though?" _**'Ohhhh she's a flirt. I LOVE that.'**_

"I'm not worried about MY virtue Miss Bella."

**********

"We have been sitting here talking for hours. Do you need to be anywhere or can I call for some takeout?" I ask. _'Please stay, PLEASE.'_

"I'd love to stay. I am having a great time." I grin my classic Emmett grin. "You know Mr. McCarty. Those dimples should be registered as lethal."

I can't help myself. I reach over and stroke her cheek. "Only if you register your beauty, Miss Swan." And before I know it, I dip my head toward her and lay a gentle kiss on her lips. One kiss leads to two and two to three. I feel her hands snake up my arms and wrap around my neck, her fingers tangling in my hair. I take it as a sign that it is okay to keep going. I deepen our kisses and gently nibble on her bottom lip. She lets out a gentle moan as her tongue reaches out for my mouth.

Shock. That's the only word. Shock. This beautiful woman is on my couch kissing me like this. I have to get some control before it goes too far. I pull my mouth from hers and start laying gentle kisses along her jaw line and down over her neck. That's when I see it again. A red star. I hug her tightly to try and calm us for now.

"WOW." She whispers in my ear.

"I know." As I reach a finger to trace her starts. "I have to tell you, I love these stars. I noticed them that first day too. Do they have any significance?"

"Actually, each one symbolizes a milestone. I got the first one after graduating high school. Then one for college, honor society, grad school, my job here, buying my house and the most recent one is for surviving my first year as a teacher."

"Any reason why you put them on your neck?"

"Because I want to be able show them, but I can't at work, so with them on my neck, I can cover them with my hair at work and show them in the real world by pulling my hair up."

"I like that. Where do you get them done?"

"A little shop just up the street actually. Confederate Tattoo."

"No way! Jasper is my best friend. Your next star is on me."

"I am going to hold you to that. So do you have any art?"

I roll up my shirt sleeves. "This one," pointing to my left bicep, "I got when I got my scholarship to UT, and this one" pointing to my right bicep, "I got when I signed with the Titans. I have some others as well. How about you? Do you have any others?"

"Yes I do three others for now. I have ideas for some more though." She hesitates to volunteer any other information. "I can show you two of them if you'd like to see them."

"Of course. I love good artwork. Did Jasper do all of them?" _**'This is such a small world.'**_

"All accept my first three stars. He really does great work. I won't let anyone else touch me. Tattoo-wise that is." She winks at me. _**'SHE WINKED AT ME!!!'**_

"He's done every one of mine. So?"

"Oh yeah." She lifts her shirt on her left side to reveal some Chinese characters with some type of flower woven around them covering the left side of her torso. "This side is Love and Faith," I take in a sharp breath. This is too weird. I lean in and look at the detail and coloring.

"Yep. That's Jasper's work alright."

"And this side," she lifts the other side of her shirt to show the same thing but different characters. "is Truth and Courage."

"You're not going to believe this…but," I lift my shirt so she can see the tatts on my sides. I also have Chinese characters on my sides but mine are wrapped with ivy. "This side is Strength and Freedom, and this side is Honor and Destiny."

She leans in to look at mine. I can feel her breath on my skin. The sensation causes goose bumps. "We are practically tattoo twins." She says through her giggles.

"I guess you could say that." _**'I sure don't feel like a sibling, darlin'**_

"So, how many more do you have?" she asks.

"One more. I just had it done a few weeks ago. Actually, that day we first saw each other, I was on my way to Jasper's to get it done."

"Can I see it?"

"Uhm, I'm sure you will soon. Can I see yours?"

"We'll trade. When you're ready, I'll be ready."

"It's a deal." I lean in and kiss her lips. "Sealed with a kiss." She giggles.

We sit and talk more. We talk about school. We were at UT at the same time. For a little while at least. I was there for my entire four years playing football and earning my Business degree. She went there for her Masters in English after doing her undergrad at University of North Florida. She actually watched my games that season.

Then comes the inevitable topic of family. We both hesitate a bit, but she speaks up first. "I am an Army brat. My father was a career man. He flew Chinooks out of Ft. Campbell. Thankfully we didn't move around as much as most military families so I consider Tennessee home. I love it here. That's why I came back here for my Masters and was thrilled when I got the job offer to teach here in Nashville."

"Why did you do your undergrad in Florida?"

"When my parents divorced, my mother moved to Jacksonville. When my father…well, I ended up in Jacksonville to be near my mom." Her eyes watered a little. I can't help but cup her cheek with my hand.

"What happened with your father, darlin'?" A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek. I wipe it with my thumb. "It's okay. You don't have to say anymore if you don't want to."

"It's not that really. I just never talk about it. It feels like I have only recently gotten past it, although I feel guilty about that."

"Take your time. Only say what you're comfortable with."

"Eight years ago, he had to go to DC to attend a meeting with some sub-committee on Army Avionics. The meeting was held at The Pentagon." She stopped talking. I just look at her, wishing I could stop her pain. All I can do is pull her in for a hug. I hold her, rubbing her back. Then it hits me. Eight years ago. The Pentagon. 9-11!

"I'm so sorry, love." I whisper. "If you need to cry, you can cry on me." And she does. For 15 minutes she just sobs into my shirt. Once her sobs turn into sniffles, she pulls back and looks me in the eyes. She seems to be looking for something. Then I see it in her eyes. Understanding. She pulls back a little more and lifts her shirt over her head.

"Bella honey, we don't have to do anything toni…" she puts her finger to my lips. Then she turns her back to me revealing her final tattoo. There just inches from my eyes, in between her shoulder blades, is a familiar design. A pentagon shape filled in like a U.S. Flag. That is nestled in a burgundy heart. Two yellow banner ribbons flow from the bottom of the heart one filled with the word 'Never' and the other filled with 'Forget'. Above the heart is the name 'Charlie' and below it 'Swan'. "This is amazing. Did you design it yourself?"

"Yes I did. It took me seven years to finally be brave enough to do it. I decided it was long past time to honor my father in some way and what better way than this?"

I lean in and kiss her shoulder. "Love, it's perfect. I'm sure he is proud of you and honored that you have memorialized him this way. Now, I need to tell you my story."

"Okay, but only if you want to." She turns around to face me.

"I do, and I think I NEED to as well. It was just me and my mother for as long as I can remember. The person who was my father left when I was 3 and was never heard from again. My mother and I had a pretty good life. She was a teacher too, but she taught elementary school in Knoxville." She smiles at me as her hand reaches up to gently stroke my face. I lean into her hand as I continue talking. "She was so proud when I got a full scholarship to UT. I didn't even have to leave home. She was there at every game and couldn't have been prouder when I walked that stage to get my degree. When I signed with the Titans, I bought her a house in Franklin so she could move here with me. In the summer of 2007, she was diagnosed with…" now it is my turn to cry "breast cancer." She pulls me down and I lay my forehead on her shoulder. She wraps one arm around my shoulder and her other hand strokes the back of my head and neck. I continue without moving.

"They immediately did a radical mastectomy and followed up with Chemo and radiation. She was so sick. So weak, but so strong too. Unfortunately, they found it too late. No treatment worked and I lost her last year." I pull my head back and looked at her seeing the same understanding in her eyes that she found in mine. I turn around so that my back is facing her and take off my shirt, showing her my tribute to my mother.

"Oh my God, Emmett." She starts crying again.

"Bella, darlin'. You have to know, I designed this on my own as well. Jasper had nothing to do with it other than to actually do the skin work. When I showed him my sketch, he told me he recognized it, but couldn't remember the details about your or your tattoo. This is just a huge coincidence."

"Do you really believe that, baby? I mean look at us." She points to our sides. "We practically have all matching tattoos without even knowing each other at the time we got them and all of them are original. Not pulled off of his wall or out of his books. They were done by the same artist. Do you honestly think it's all just coincidence? Really?"

"Of course not." I can't stand it anymore. I pull her into my lap and start kissing her. She doesn't fight me. Quite the opposite, she kisses me back with such intensity that for the first time ever, I growl. She moans again driving me insane. When we have to separate to breathe, she stands up off my lap. She pulls me off the couch with her. I stand a foot and a half above her but it doesn't seem awkward at all. I bend down and wrap my hands around her waist and pull her up so that our faces are level. She in turn wraps her legs around my waist and her arms around my neck.

"Baby, can I see your bed…room?"

Without saying a word. I start walking down the hallway, with this amazing woman still wrapped around me. Once we reach my bedroom I sit down on the bed and take her face in my hands. I kiss her one more time before the gentleman in me takes over.

"Darlin' are you sure? We don't have to do anything. I just want to be in your presence. You are like medicine for me. I can feel you healing me as we speak. I know we just met today, but I feel we are connected already and it would hurt me on many levels if I were to let you go. But that does not mean we have to go any further. We could just lie here together all night and I would be perfectly content. I swear it."

"Emmett, first of all, I really appreciate your chivalry. Please don't ever lose that. Second, I am feeling the same things you are. I feel the connection too. We are healing each other baby. I feel like we are supposed to be here like this today and tomorrow. And yes, it will hurt if we were to let go. So let's not let go."

We start kissing again in earnest. Her hands are in my hair. My hands are on her waist. I kiss my way over to her ear. I gently suck the bottom of her lobe into my mouth. "Do you know what you do to me? You are the sexiest woman I have ever met." Her response? That sexy little growl of hers. I flip us around quickly so that she is lying on her stomach in the middle of the bed. I start kissing and nibbling on her top star and continue my way down paying attention to every star and every inch of the tattoos on her sides. Out of respect for her and her father, I don't touch his memorial. I just look at it lovingly, silently thanking the man for his service and bringing me this beautiful woman. Then it dawns on me, is it possible that her father and my mother are up there in heaven playing matchmaker? Nothing would surprise me anymore.

I start kissing my way down her spine, admiring the potential for all this bare skin. I want to design something for her someday. She starts to wiggle under my lips. I can hear her moaning and it just urges me to carry on. I rub my hands lightly over her ass. I move back up her body and bring my mouth her ear. "Bella, you are so beautiful."

She turns over and brings her face to mine, taking ownership of my mouth. It's hers. Hell my whole body is hers now. My hand ghost up to cup her lace covered breast. I gently squeeze it, desperately wanting to feel the silk of her skin instead of this lace. As if she could read my mind, she arches her back and reaches behind her back to unhook her bra. I close my fist carefully and pull the garment away from the most perfect tits. My hand returns to massage it and tease her nipple with my thumb. I kiss my way down her neck, across her collarbone and down her silky mound until I take her nipple into my mouth. It immediately puckers up while my tongue flicks across it.

Leaning on one arm, my opposite hand rubs its way down her side, my fingers tracing the lines of her artwork , down over her hip and across to her belly button. She shivers under my hand's attention. My hand travels down to feel just how hot and wet my girl had become. "Oh darlin'. You are absolutely dripping."

"Only for you baby."

"I have to taste you." She nods her head yes. I kneel in between her legs to unbutton and unzip her jeans. I grab the waistband of her jeans and panties and pull them both off at the same time, revealing the gift that is Bella. I bend down to kiss her belly button. Her legs instinctually spread wide knowing what is going to happen next. I slide down to start lapping at the fountain. She is so wet, so warm. I start to flick my tongue at her hardened clit. She brings her hips up to meet my face. I slide a finger in between her slick lips until is slips deep into her. I begin a rhythm and my tongue matches it. A second finger slips in. She lets out a louder moan and her walls start to grasp at my fingers. I hum my pleasure at her reactions. This causes a vibration that causes her to clamp down even harder. She's so close, I can feel her impending orgasm.

"Just let go darlin'. You want to come and I want to feel it with my hand…just cum for me. Scream my name…OUT LOUD…"

I start stroking my fingers faster and harder as she screams my name, arches her back completely off the bed and clamps down on my fingers so hard that I can barely move them. "That's it my beautiful Bella. Cum for me. Only for me. Let me feel it."

I still my fingers but my tongue continues to play with her clit. I suck it into my mouth and her walls tighten even more. "EMMETT!!!!! My GOD!"

"No darlin' I'm not a God. Just a mere mortal wanting to worship you." I say as she starts to come down from her high.

She pulls my face up to hers. I am surprised when she starts to kiss and lick my face. "Oh Bella that is so hot."

"My Emmett, you are a God, you're my one and only Sex God. If I ask you for something, will you give it to me?"

"Anything your heart desires, love."

"Fuck me?"

"You don't even have to ask." Now it is my turn to growl.

I swiftly remove my jeans and boxer briefs. She reaches out to touch me causing me to shiver violently. She leads my cock to her entrance. I push into her in one quick stroke. She lets out a loud his as fill her to overflowing. I have to let her adjust to my size, and as she does I take the opportunity to suck on her nipple again.

Before too long, her hips start to rock up against me, signaling that she's ready for me to proceed. I start out slowly, moving my hips painfully slow…speeding up little by little. Then she says the words that send me over the edge, "Fuck me Emmett, please baby FUCK ME!" Pulling back until I am just barely still in her then slam into her, repeating this action…slamming into her, harder and faster with each stroke. I can feel my release coming, but I refuse to allow it to happen until she has another orgasm. I feel her hand snake between our bodies and begin to rub her clit as I assault her pussy. "Are you going to cum for me again, Bella? I want you to cum with me. I want to scream with you."

I can feel her walls grasping at my cock. "You're soooo tight. Soooo fucking hot. I can hold on much longer, I need you to cum with me. PLEASE…….!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

We both start to scream each other's names at the same time. As we hit our peak together we both say simultaneously "I LOVE YOU!"

**ONE YEAR LATER**

She's a dream walking toward me. I don't know what I did to deserve this angel, but I am not going to question it for fear she will be taken away from me. After an eternity, Jasper finally gets her to my side. I look around at our friends and family who are sitting on the field at the stadium. I still can't believe she agreed to have our wedding here. She said she was never that into traditional weddings and that this would be perfect for both of us. And it is.

The ceremony begins with both of us lighting candles in front of enlarged pictures of her father and my mother. We wanted to make sure our guardian angel/matchmakers are a part of the ceremony. After all, we're convinced that it was they who brought us together.

Before I know it, I hear, "You may kiss your bride." And I do! I can never get enough of kissing her. Of touching her.

Our reception is the party of the year in Nashville. Our guest list is a who's who of NFL players, as well as all sorts of actors and musicians and other celebrities. I could care less, all I see is my Bella. My Tattooed Princess. We each sit as Jasper tattoos a Celtic tribal band around each of our left hand ring fingers.

Finally it's time to leave for our week in Italy…

**ANOTHER YEAR LATER**

It's Bella's turn in the chair. I just spent an hour and a half there and now we watch as she getting hers.

We're getting a set of matching hearts, one on each shoulder. Each heart connecting to the one memorializing our parents by corresponding ribbons. One heart is blue with beautifully scripted letters spelling out "Ethan Charles" and the other heart is pink with the name "Briana Margret". Both names mean strength. My whole family is the picture of strength.

Bella is also adding two more stars to her neck. She already added one for marrying me. Now she's adding one for each of our babies.

"Look at your momma, babies." As I hold both of my beautiful infants. "She's always so sexy sitting in that chair."

"Emmett, the babies don't need to hear that I am sexy. I am their mother for crying out loud." She can't help but smile.

"Sorry, I'm only telling the truth. Hey darlin'?"

"Yes my love?"

"Aren't these beautiful babies of ours six weeks old now?" I ask flirtatiously.


End file.
